AN exhibition of paintings and drawings by June Ashburner and Duncan Rice brings together two artists connected with the unique birch and alder collections growing at Stone Lane Gardens near Chagford in Devon.

The exhibition is being shown in the newly renovated barn exhibition space at the gardens. The garden is the creation of the late Kenneth Ashburner. He travelled extensively collecting seed from birch and alder trees growing in the wild. The seeds became seedlings which now have grown into a garden arboretum of national importance.

June Ashburner, Kenneth's wife and co-creator of the garden, organises the Mythic Garden sculpture exhibition, which has been running annually for 22 years. June has drawn inspiration from the garden for her own paintings, which convey a personal insight into the landscape which she has done so much to bring about.

Duncan Rice's first job was working for Kenneth Ashburner's landscaping business and on Kenneth's garden. This experience led Duncan to choose landscaping as a career. However, he has also painted and drawn the landscapes of Dartmoor over many years, recently devoting an exhibition to Dartmoor's birches.

The exhibition will share its opening date with the 2014 Mythic Garden sculpture exhibition 'Works for a Woodland'. The 'Birch Visions' exhibition runs from May 4 to June 15.